Machine for applying transfers



1954 G. w. VON HOFE MACHINE FOR APPLYING TRANSFERS Filed April 28, 1951 untiivlr F R0 m h AM VV WW a ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR APPLYING TRANSFERS .George W.'von Hofe,-Bouml Brook; N ,,J -assignor to New JerseyrMaohine Corporation, Hoboken,

N. J,.,.a corporation of New Jersey 4 Claims.

This invention relates to labels and to the application thereof to articles.

.-An object of theinvention is to provide an improved means for and method of applying to articles labels which are to be afiixed thereto by a transfer printing. operation.

Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved transfer. label whose construction will enable it to be satisfactorily and successfully utilized ina labeling machine embodyingthe invention.

Other objects. of the invention, as well as the advantages and novel .features thereof, will be come more apparent after a perusal of the fol-- lowing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which'Fig. 1' is an edge. view of a label made in accordancewith theinvention, the label'being'shown with the paper. layerthereof uppermost, which is the position it will have in the supply stack, and vFig. :r

is a diagrammatic view illustrating one manner in which the inventionmay be practiced.

. Referring to. Fig. 1 of the drawingswhichfor the purposes of illustration shows onemethod of construction for a label made in accordance with the invention, the letter A designates aibase or carrier sheet for carryingthe label. The sheet A may be inthe form of a rolled strip or in separate sheets of suitable size,'such asshown for example in Fig. 2 of the drawings. be made of any suitable material such asmetal, paper and synthetic materials having relatively high melting temperatures, which will not adhere'tothe heated label carrying surface of I the :transfer device, and from which'the label proper may be stripped by theadhesiveness of the adhesive coating on the label proper, allof which will hereinafter become more clear. Various types of paper may be employed in carrying out the invention such as for'example, glassine and light cardboard, but I'preferably use as the carrier sheet A an unsized paper of the character known in the trade as waterleaf. A waterleaf sheet which is very porous and absorbent is preferred. To the surface of the sheet is applied a coating B of material having a low melting point, such as wax or parafiin. The coating B should be applied to the base A so. that it forms a continuous film over the area underlying the label proper on such sheet and may cover the entire area of the sheet. The coating material should be applied however, so that its depth of penetrationinto' the base A isanoticomplate and inlsuchvthickness of coating, thatawhen melted by heat substantially the whole of such Sheet A may material will be absorbed into the base -A and substantially disappear from the coatedsurface ofthe base A. While wax and parafiinhave been given by way of example, it will be under stood that the coating B may be composed of any substance which has a relatively low -melting point and is readily absorbableby the absorbent material of the base A when melted so that it will no'longer exist as a coating on-the base. For the purposes of the invention therefore, any such substances are to be regarded as the equivalents of wax or parafiin.

The label proper is designated lof the drawings by the letter C, and isconstituted of a thin'film composed of a layer D of heat resistant clear lacquer. On the layer Dcf lacquer the label is preferably made of inks which are heat resistant, the label printing being-- indicated in Fig. l of the drawings by the reference letter E. However, as will hereinafter appear more clear, the label printing E maybe made of athermo-activatable adhesive material havinga substantially higher-melting .point than the material of layer B. Overlying the label printing E is a, layer F of a heat resistant material such as clear lacquer, White, paint or other material suitable as a background orprotective coating for the label printing'E. The outer layer Gin the film C is a thermo-activatable adhesive material, such as a thermoplasticaadhesivecomposition or. other suitable material which is substantially unalterable and non-tacky at the temperatures and atmospheric conditions usually encountered during storage or at'the place of use, but which when activated by heat-will .become usefully. adhesive. The temperatures usually required for activating these adhesivefilms to an .adhesive'condition range from approximately 155 F. to 270 F. which are substantially above the melting point temperature of the material of layer B.

In the following description, the combined structure illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings'and composed of the above described; film C constituting the label proper, the absorbent carrier sheet A and the thermo-activatable releasable coating B of low melting temperature shall be referred to generally as the label. Labels of this-type are shown in-Fig. 2 of thedravvings formed into an uprightstack t0 withthecarrier Sheets -A thereof uppermost. -Thestack- It is mounted ona support II to whichris connected any conventional elevating meansyfor raising the stack ll! of labels'atperiodic intervals to thereby restore the top label, in the stack to. a predetergenerally in Fig.

the track 2| is lowered and the member l9 moves downwardly on the carriage to thereby cause the transfer device Hi to press the label carried thereby against the surface of the article to which the label film C is to be applied.

The head or transfer device Id carries a heating device composed of one or more electrical resistance elements which are mounted in such head and which are connected with a source of electricity by wires 25, 25. The resistance elements are preferably controlled by a thermostat mounted in such head to maintain the label supporting surface of the device it at a predetermined minimum temperature such as will adhesively activate the thermoplastic coating G on such label. It will thus be seen that during the travel of the transfer device Hi from the stack mined height, and thus maintain the top labels at a substantially constant feeding level. The labels are fed from the stack or store thereof on the support II to a support [2 for the articles 13 to be labeled by means of a label carrier or transfer device of the suction-operated type which is designated generally in the drawings by the numeral M. The label applying machine in which such supports and device are embodied, may be of any well known type and for the purl poses of illustrating the invention, such parts have been shown as embodied in a labeling machine such as is described and illustrated in the von Hofe Patent No. 2,227,816, issued January 7, 1941. 15 In the machine of the aforesaid patent, there is provided a carriage l5 (note Fig. 2), slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail It supported ID to the article support It, the label carried on the frame of the machine. The carriage l5 thereby is heated by the heating means in such is reciprocated lengthwise of the rail is in predevice to adhesively activate the thermoplastic determined time sequence by mechanism exemcoating G on such label. Since the material plified in Fig. 2 of the drawings, by the r d ll of layer B is closer to the heated label carrying which is pivotally connected at It to the carsurface of the device [4 and has a much lower riage 15. A member or plunger is is slidably m ng point than the temperature at which the mounted on the carriage i5 and is vertically material of layer G is activated, the material reciprocated thereon in properly timed relation layer B during such travel, will melt and will with the associated parts by mechanism eXembe readily absorbed y the po u absorbent plified in Fig. 2 of the drawings by the roller 28 paper layer A a g e label carrying surwhich is adapted to travel along a horizontally face of the device l4 so that such material will extending track 2! arranged to be raised and 30 p ally disappear as a l y t rmediate the lowered to reciprocate the member is. The paper layer A a d th fi C stitut ng th downward movement of the member i9 may be label w er, the adherence of film facilitated by a vertically disposed spring 22 C to the p p layer A Will be suflicient so that which is connected t t lower end t the the two will be carried as a unit by the device riage 5 and at its upper end to lug 23 on t i4 until the film C is deposited on the article 13. member as. Secured to the lower end of the mem- The material of coating B will become wholly her [9 is the label carrier or transfer device Hi. absorbed and p ated in the carrier sheet It will be understood from the parts of the A during e app cation of the label film c to label machine thus far described, that when in the article under the heat and p u e exerted the machine the transfer dey the device l4. After the film C is firmly vice I4 is in a position to pick up a label from Pressed by the heated device upo the $111- the stack or store if of the labels, the track will face of the article l3 and the device l4 sta t t be in a lowered position so that the label carry- Withdraw from the article, the adhering qualities ing surface of such device will be engaging with of the layer G will Cause Such fi to be pp the uppermost label in the stack. The label from the b b layer A which is retained on the carrying surface of device [4 is provided with label p ng Surface of the device by the a plurality of perforations or air vents which continued suction condition and carried away communicate with achamber formed within such from the articley Such method, e e can device. Such chamber is connected by means be handled labels in the form of y t fi ms of a tube 24 with a source of Suction through 60 which otherwise would be practically impossible tube 28 and with a source of air pressure through to handle in a labeling mechanism. tube 29. Properly timed valve means 21 of any Following the po it ng of the film C on the suitable type is provided to control the ah suparticle, the device 14 is lifted with respect to ply to the device [4 so as to provide a condition the Carriage 5 y the action of track 2| on the of suction in the chamber of the device and cone d member 19. The labeled article sequently at the label carrying or supporting surthen removed from the pp t I and the face thereof during a predetermined period of its tarrlege is cted to bring the device [4 back cycle of movement and to deliver compressed air mto label receiving po tion over the stack of into such chamber at another predetermined pelabels on h H to r pe t the Operations riod of the cycle of movement of such device. 9 descnbed- In ittYaVe1ba0k to such p The valving means 21 is so timed that suction is sltlon the transfer devlee passes over the open affected at the label supporting surface of device e of receptacle 26, during Which portion of IQ while it is positioned in lowered position above t travel the Suction in uch device is diSCOIl-z the stack l8 and until after the label film C cartmlled s Steed, t re is delivered comried thereby has been deposited on the article pressed {T1170 Such device to b ow the paper is, as will hereinafter become more clear. When sheet A calfnm thereby Into the receptacle 5- a label has been drawn from the stack 16 by the In -"t t h above deselibed q nc transfer device M, the track 2| is raised to eleof q s 1t W111 be 11nde1$t00d t t e vate the member [9 and consequently the device valvmemeene ng the air supp y to M with the label thereon The carriage t5 is the device I4 is timed to provide suction in such then caused to move to the left, as viewed in devlce when the label ppo ng surface thereof Fi 2 of the drawings t bring t device 14 is coming into contact with a label on the sup-. over t tm {3 which has previously b port H to hold a label to such surface, and such placed on the support 12 in label-receiving posuction is maintained during the travel of the sition, When the device I4 is in such position, device M to the support l2, during the attachment of the label film C to the article and until such device is over the receptacle 255 on its return to the support H. At such time, the suction is discontinued and a blast of air delivered to the device it to remove the paper sheet A of the label that has been retained by the device I4. Following such blast of air, the air pressure in the chamber of the device l4 will be atmospheric until such device is moving toward the uppermost label on the support ii, whereupon suction will be provided in such device to enable it to pick up and carry such label in the manner above described.

The article carrying surface of the support [2 is provided with a plurality of perforations or air vents which communicate by means of passages 30 with an air line 31. The line 3! is connected with a source of suction through tube 33. Properly timed valve means 32 of any suitable type is provided to apply a condition of suction at the surface of support 12 while an article is positioned thereon, and until after the label film C has been applied to such article. Thus, the article is maintained in position while the paper layer A is being stripped from the lm C without any possibility of movement of such article which might tend to affect the proper disconnection of the film from the paper layer.

While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the layer F of the label may be omitted and the thermo-activatable coating G applied directly to the printing E and layer D, or layers G and F may be omitted and the printing E made of thermoplastic adhesive material instead of printing inks, as has been previously indicated. When paper of the type of paraffin paper or other non-porous sheeting is used for the layer A instead of the porous, absorbent material above described, a film of the wax or paramn will remain on the outer surface of the film C constituting the label proper when it is applied to the article and such wax film will be found to be desirable for certain purposes such as protection of the label against weathering and to enhance its appearance.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying decalcomanias to separate successive articles at an applying Station, means spaced from said applying station for holding a stack of heat sensitive decalcomanias, vacuum means for picking up a decalcomania from said stack and carrying such decalcomania to said applying station, means for applying heat to such heat sensitive decalcomania while the latter is carried by said vacuum means to the applying station, means for applying the transfer of such decalcomania to an article at said applying station and for applying positive pressure to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof to the article, a discharge station, means for stripping the backing sheet of the decalcomania from the transfer thereof adhered to the article and carrying said backing sheet to said discharge station, and means for applying positive pressure to release the backing sheet at said discharge station.

2. In a machine for applying decalcomanias to separate successive articles at an applying station, means spaced from said applying station for holding a stack of heat sensitive decalcomanias,

vacuum means for picking up a decalcomania from said stack and carrying such decalcomania to said applying station, means for applying heat to such heat sensitive decalcomania while the latter is carried by said vacuum means to the applying station, means for applying the transfer of such decalcomania to an article at said applying station, said applying means including said vacuum means, said heating means, and means for applying positive pressure to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof, said vacuum means retaining a vacuum control of such decalcomania and said heating means heating said decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereofto the article, and means for separating the backing sheet of the decalcomania from the transfer thereof adhered to the article while said heat sensitive decalcomania is still in a heated condition.

3. In a machine for applying decalcomanias to separate successive articles at an applying station, means spaced from said applying station for holding a stack of heat sensitive decalcomanias, means for picking up a decalcomania from said stack and for carrying such decalcomania to said applying station, means for applying the transfer of such decalcomania to an article at said applying station, said last mentioned means including means for applying positive pressure to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof and means for applying heat to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof, and means for separating the backing sheet of the decalcomania from the transfer thereof adhered to the article while said heat sensitive decalcomania is still in a heated condition.

4. In a machine for applying decalcomanias to separate successive articles at an applying station, means spaced from said applying station for holding a stack of heat sensitive decalcomanias, vacuum means for picking up a decalcomania from said stack and carrying such decalcomania to said applying station, and means for applying the transfer of such decalcomania to an article at said applying station, said last mentioned means including said vacuum means and while the latter retains a vacuum control of such decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof to the article, means for applying heat to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof, and means for applying positive pressure to the decalcomania during such application of the transfer thereof and for separating the backing sheet of the decalcomania from the transfer thereof adhered to the article while said heat sensitive decalcomania is still in a heated condition.

GEORGE W. VON HOPE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,882,593 Hentschel Oct. 11, 1932 2,103,082 Lawrence Dec. 21, 1937 2,111,897 McNutt Mar. 22, 1938 2,190,405 Humphner Feb. 13, 1940 2,231,262 Fridolph Feb. 11, 1941 2,247,623 Von Hofe July 1, 1941 2,300,185 Von Hofe Oct. 27, 1942 2,353,352 Muir July 11, 1944 2,501,539 Ruth Mar. 21, 1950 

